All Wolf No Bite
by secretfanficlover
Summary: AU! Hermione goes into the woods to visit her parents' to find them murdered, and the murderer to be Remus Lupin. Further investigation into the incident causes Hermione to fall in love with the man, and she becomes determined to get him free. Also, Remus is only 5 years older than Hermione in this fic. Warnings: Murder, blood, descriptions of death.


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

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Word Count: 4516

Title: All Wolf No Bite

Notes: AU! -Using a different version of werewolves, which means the ability or curse is triggered and inherited, and not passed on via bite. In this story all the marauders are 21, making them only 5 years older than Hermione, Harry is thus not a Potter (therefore he remains without a surname for the sake of this fic). Only his closest friends know about this.

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The Golden Snitch:

Ollivanders: Wood: Blackthorn: Write about a character's reputation being ruined.

Nautical Ship Challenge: Inappropriate Made Appropriate - 25 points- Hermione Granger and Remus Lupin - S.S. Beauty and the Beast

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The sun was shining as Hermione Granger walked into the woods to see her parents. She went to boarding school at Hogwarts so she didn't get to see them often. They had moved recently so she wasn't exactly sure where she was going.

She was walking down the pathway with her red cloak over her shoulders and a woven basket with items she had gotten in town from the market. She saw a white rabbit not to far off the main path, and with childlike excitement she went after it, trying to catch it.

Soon she was lost, she had no idea how to get back to the main path, the rabbit was gone and she shivered beneath her red and gold cloak.

Then she saw a strange man in the woods. He had brown hair and grey blue eyes. "Hello," Hermione called. She was lost and needed directions back to the main path to find her parents cottage.

"Hello, what are you doing in the woods so late in the afternoon?" the stranger asked her.

"I'm looking for the Granger Cottage," she said, hoping she looked braver than she felt.

"Oh! You're Hermione! The Granger families' daughter," the man responded with a smile.

"You know my parents?" she asked curiously. It was possible he was just pretending.

"Of course I do, they have been ever so kind to me, let me help you get to the cottage then," he said cheerfully.

"I'm Remus Lupin," the man introduced himself, holding a hand out for Hermione to shake.

"Well, thank you for the help then," she said smiling. She had no other hope for getting to her parents, so all she could do was follow Remus and hope he brought her to her parents' house.

The two walked in relative silence. "Do you go to school?" Hermione asked. He looked young, and she wondered why he was all alone in the woods during the day.

"No, actually I graduated from Hogwarts a few years ago," he said.

"Wow, you look so young," she said in awe.

Remus chuckled to himself. "Good genetics I suppose. I recognize the cloak, Gryffindor as well?"

Hermione nodded, pausing to catch her breath.

"Not that much further," he said with a smile. "See? We back on the path already."

Hermione would be happy to be rid of the handsome stranger, his eyes held something wild inside that she wasn't sure if she trusted.

When they reached the path to the cottage, she let out a sigh. This was the cottage. Her parents had sent her pictures of the place.

Remus walked with her all the way to the front door. He was waiting for her to knock. She knocked on the door, which swung open to reveal Mrs Granger, who immediately pulled her daughter in for a hug. "Darling, you are so late, we were worried," she said.

"Oh hello there Remus," she said noticing him.

"Did you find our lost princess?" Mr Granger asked him with a smile.

"Yes, sir," Remus said politely. "Well I need to get going, moon is almost up." He nodded at the sky. Hermione found his words strange, but she was comfortable now that she knew he hadn't been lying about the relationship with her mum and dad.

She walked into the cottage through the coral door and saw a warm, cosy place decorated in mainly red. There was a fireplace that heated up the entire room. There was a red copper kettle by the fireplace.

"Would you like me to make coffee, dad?" Hermione asked.

"Black coffee for me please," he replied. "I'm trying to cut out the sugar."

"That sounds terrible," Hermione said but started on the coffee anyway.

The next morning Hermione treated her parents to waffles that she had with syrup; some fruit salad for her father.

The weekend passed by too quickly and soon Hermione was on her way back to school. She got to Hogwarts when she realised that she had forgotten her woven basket.

"Headmaster, would it be okay if I went to my parents to pick up my basket? I know usually it is usually not allowed but it's essential," Hermione asked Headmaster Dumbledore politely. Dumbledore nodded.

"Just be careful child, full moon is approaching," he said with a strange tone. With the warning in the back of her head she almost asked her friend Harry to join her, but she knew the road now, she would be fine alone.

It was late when she reached the edge of the woods and the full moon was just appearing behind the horizon. She heard a howl- like the howl of a wolf at the moon. She wasn't sure if there were wolves in these woods, her parents had never mentioned it before. When she heard the noise again, she knew there must be. She imagined hearing the tortured screams of a woman, it sounded like her mother, but she insisted it was the night wind playing tricks on her.

She walked the path in the dark, holding a flashlight and not stepping off the path, there was a tension that night, a tension she didn't feel the last time. She felt a sense of foreboding; something seemed to be screaming inside her to turn back, to return during the day. Hermione's heart was racing; the wind was rustling through the trees, making eerie noises. She heard crickets chirping in the grass. Her flashlight was making shadows of every bush and tree, and she couldn't help but run when she saw the white gate in the distance.

She knocked on the door, it wasn't locked… She opened the door to find the cottage in shambles. It was ripped apart, it looked like an animal had been let loose inside. When her gaze reached the floor she dropped her flashlight with a piercing scream. The sight that met her eye was her mother and father, both dead and covered in blood. She didn't see the animal, so horrified and exhausted, she decided it must have left, and had a nap in her parent's room.

The next morning when she woke up, she was going to call the police. She walked back into the room, hoping it had all been a horrible nightmare. Her heart was broken when she witnessed the scene again; there was no doubting it now. The only change since last night was the sleeping man, with torn clothes and her parent's blood all over his hands — Remus Lupin.

She wanted to leave the room and make the call, leaving the sleeping man to be handed over to the police, but unwittingly a scream escaped her mouth, the murderer was the handsome stranger who had led her to this very cottage! As soon as Remus awoke it was clear he was confused. Upon seeing the bodies of the Grangers he started to sob heavily, and when his eyes looked up to see Hermione, she could feel how broken he was.

"What happened?" he asked Hermione.

"I came in last night and they were dead, it looked like an animal, but I now know it was you," she spat at him.

"I… but… I don't remember, they were my friends," Remus said, pleading with her to believe him.

How would he tell her that it was his werewolf self that murdered her family? Would it change anything? When had they slipped into this beauty and the beast fairy-tale?

"Stay," was all she said, ignoring his pleas that he didn't remember anything from the past night. She phoned the police and told them to come arrest the man who brutally murdered her parents. She explained the situation to the officers, saying he was perhaps suffering from multiple personality disorder, since he claimed not to remember anything about the event.

Remus didn't say another word, sitting quietly, trying to piece together the bits he remembered before his first transformation. Peter had offered to watch him, to lock him up. He hoped Peter was okay, since he probably could have hurt or killed him as well. The police handcuffed him and asked who he wanted to represent him. Peter might just be a studying intern but he needed to know his friend was alive without arousing even more suspicion.

"Call Peter, Peter Pettigrew," he said. Hermione watched with emotionless eyes as man got put into the police vehicle. Remus was waiting for the ringing phone to be picked up, for him to know he didn't harm anyone else. He heard someone answer the phone, and he breathed a sigh of relief. It didn't prevent the horror he felt at the beast inside him slaughtering those who had only ever been good to him. "Your attorney will meet us at the precinct, seems like he has a bit of a headache," the officer said to him, before getting in the front and locking the doors.

Remus admitted to killing the Grangers'. He couldn't do anything else; it was possible that he just happened to be there, but not having any proof. He was sure he must have been responsible although the thought made him sick to his stomach. Peter's advice had been to "rather plead guilty than insanity." His argument was if he was under constant observation in a ward he could harm others, whereas if he was locked up in prison he couldn't harm anyone else ever again. Once they had found Remus fit to stand trial, they had Hermione as the witness for the prosecution.

"Miss Granger, have you ever met the accused before the night in question?" the bailiff questioned.

"I have," she answered, her eyes cold as ice.

"When was that, Miss Granger?" he continued.

"A week before the event, he helped me find my way," she said,

"And was there any reason that you would suspect this man of harming your parents?" he asked.

She almost shook her head, and then she said in a soft but firm voice: "No."

Remus didn't understand where was the accusation? Where was her saying she found him there? Although, with him pleading guilty many shortcuts were taken, the evidence against him was all circumstantial. He preferred it that way; if they found out what a monster he really was he would be put in a laboratory and studied like an animal.

"I call Mr R J Lupin to the stand," Peter Pettigrew called.

Remus moved like his feet were made of iron. When he reached the box he could feel all eyes on him.

"Mr Lupin, is it true that you were there the night the murder took place?"

"Yes, but. . ." he tried but Peter cut him off. What the hell? Was Peter trying to get him loose or not?

"Just yes or no," Peter said.

"Is it also true that you were in a fight with Mr Granger, resulting in their deaths?"

"No, I…" Remus tried again.

"In your statement it reads that you were arguing with Mr Granger earlier that day," Peter said, brandishing his statement like a sword. That was when it occurred to Remus what had truly happened. He was framed, and he had no way of telling the truth. He had put his trust in the wrong man — the actual murderer. His conscience cleared, he accepted his fifteen years in prison. If only his friends James and Lily weren't travelling CIA agents or Sirius had a better track record with the law.

His first night in prison was uneventful, it was clear the other man in the cell feared him, having heard the stories about what he did. He wanted to be left alone, so he told them tales about what happened, making it seem like he knew what he had been doing all along.

When Sirius came to visit him the next day, he broke down and told him everything.

"It was Peter, it must have been, I keep going through every detail of the night. I was secure, even if I lost it, the worst that would have happened was some bruised knuckles," he said to Sirius.

"What a no good _rat_," Sirius said.

"You believe me?" Remus said, surprised how easy it had been to convince his best friend.

"Of course, I was there that day; he led you like a lamb to slaughter. I know he is a better law student then _that,_" he admitted. "He has gotten me of DUI charges, I have no idea how. I can count on one hand the number of times I actually spent a night in the slammer."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Remus asked indignantly.

"Are you stupid or something? How do you explain you being there even if you were framed? With him having no memory? They would have figured out something was off if they kept digging," Sirius explained.

"I just wish she knew," Remus said softly.

"The girl?" Sirius asked him.

"I like her, I wish she knew I didn't hurt them," Remus replied.

Sirius shook his head. "Mate, you are better off forgetting her, there is no way she will even come see you after what happened," he insisted.

"She makes me feel like I am flying," Remus admitted. Sirius knew this was a big deal, this was the first time Remus had ever liked someone that much.

"Mate, that wasn't flying, that was...falling with style," Sirius said. Remus knew his feelings for her were strong. Although he hardly knew her, it felt like something was pulling them together.

Meanwhile, Hermione couldn't sleep; she was pacing back and forth in her Gryffindor dorm room. Her roommates had gotten so used to her new insomnia that they slept right through it. Why would he do such a thing? Why would he claim to have no memory of the night? Why would he admit guilt if he didn't do it? Something about this case just wasn't quite right, and she intended to figure out what it was.

Remembering her headmasters warning that day, she decided she needed to have another talk with him. It was clear he suspected something was going to go wrong that night. The entire wood was humming with the uneasy feeling she had carried with her. When she saw her parents, she expected the feeling to disappear. Yet, even know, a month after he had been sentenced the nagging feeling was still with her. A feeling that kept her awake at night, or when she fell asleep she would awake with nightmares of claws, a wolf howling under the full moon.

"Professor Dumbledore, can I speak with you?" Hermione asked.

"Granger, the headmaster is extremely busy and doesn't have time for your girly gossip," Professor Snape said irritated.

"Not today, Granger, surely this can wait?" the headmaster said, his usual twinkle missing from his eyes.

"Of course, sir," she said, and turned to leave.

* * *

Remus was looking out the window at the stars, he had pretended to bite his cellmate, so that he got muzzled and isolated in his own room. He enjoyed stargazing, sometimes he felt like he could feel Hermione looking at those same stars, he wondered about her often. He wished he could have been there for her during this trying time in her life.

Meanwhile, Hermione had taken to looking through the files again and again. She had photocopies made so she could read them at night. It was clear things didn't add up. It appeared that Peter Pettigew had just had an off day in court, because the evidence against Remus wasn't really grounds to arrest him.

She was interested in becoming a forensic detective, and when she saw that during Remus's confession of the murder, a lot of what he had said didn't match up with the evidence found at the scene of the crime. She sighed, she needed to talk to Remus Lupin.

Harry went with her when she walked to the dismal grey building called Azkaban prison. He shivered beneath his own red cloak. It was a signature part of their uniform.

"Herm, I think you're making a mistake, this won't do you any good," Harry said to her.

"I need to know if he did it, and something tells me it wasn't him. By why admit it then? The look of horror on his face, Harry, something doesn't add up," she insisted.

"All this is doing is preventing moving on," he said to her with a sigh. He had his own fair share of loss, being orphaned at only fifteen months.

"I know how you feel, so thanks for coming with me," she said. Then she left him outside to brave the dingy building on her own. She felt her heart racing as she walked into the building, passes the security, into a stale white room with nothing but a table and chairs bolted to the ground.

When she asked about it, the officer told her if the inmates tried to escape they would grab anything in the room to injure the officers on duty. She was sitting in the uncomfortable white chair that was bolted to the floor, facing the door as she waited for an officer to bring the accused murderer into the room.

Remus eyes found life when he saw Hermione, but he didn't react, he just walked over and sat down. Not even daring to hope that perhaps she would see the truth, yet even if she somehow did, was the fantasy not better than the truth? He truly was a cursed beast.

"Hi," Hermione said, slightly shy now that she was again faced with this handsome man. She had been thinking about him so often it felt like she actually _knew_ him somehow.

"I wasn't expecting it to be you," he said.

"I could leave?" she said, moving to stand. He made no motion to stop her.

All he said was: "I didn't mean it like that, please stay, I don't get much company."

"I'm sure it's lonely in here," she responded, it seemed like she was concerned about him. Which would be odd, who would care for their parent's killer?

"I manage," he said in a strange tone.

"Is there anything I can bring you next time?" the brunette asked him. He frowned.

"Next time?" he asked.

"Yes, next time I come visit you. Unless you rather I don't? I have been told I look a lot like my mother," she said.

"You do, but part of them remains alive inside you, and you never lose that, Hermione." He said. His eyes looked lost and Hermione didn't know what to say or do. The first time Hermione went slowly, she eased into the relationship he had with her parents, and simple things. She talked about school and news, and he listened intently.

Each visit when similarly and slowly she realised that Remus Lupin was the most selfless and kind person she had ever met. They started writing to each other, and each time she came she would bring newspapers and books, crosswords and other things to keep him busy.

Slowly she felt something change. She felt excitement at every letter, looked forward to visiting him each Friday after school. Harry had given up on trying to convince her it was a bad idea. He suspected she was suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Who falls in love with a murderer?

His last letter gave her hope. Perhaps Remus would trust her enough to tell her why he confessed. It soon became clear that this man wasn't capable of harming anyone and she was intent on getting him out of prison.

"Why did you kill them?" Hermione asked one day, seemingly at random.

"Well, I had a fight with your dad, um, you heard it," Remus said deflecting.

"I don't believe that anymore," she admitted finally.

"It's better than the truth, I deserve to be in here," Remus said, and she watched the sad acceptance in his eyes.

"Do you really believe that?" she asked. His gaze was fixed on the table, and she reached out to tilt his chin up to meet her eyes. For a moment it seemed like they were about to kiss, and then they both remembered where they were.

"I believe I am a monster," Remus said, and she saw a single tear run down his cheek. She couldn't help herself, she used her fingers to wipe a tear from the man's face.

"Why aren't you running?" he added.

"You don't scare me, I know you won't hurt me," Hermione said, feeling brave.

"Not intentionally, but I hurt everyone I care for," Remus said sadly.

"You care for me?" Hermione asked, her heart was soaring; she was smitten with the man. It made no logical sense, but she fell for him. Hermione hearing those words sent a flood of emotion over her.

"Of course I do," Remus admitted, and then realizing his words he started blushing.

"I care for you too, and I think I am starting to figure out what happened that night," she said, unwilling to let it drop when she was so close to finding out the truth. "Who are you covering for?" she continued.

He opened his mouth to respond, when Peter Pettigrew walked into the room.

"Miss Granger, I don't think you should be speaking to my client alone," Peter said. The man had the face and demeanour of a rat, he seemed anxious.

"I assure you I only have the best intentions, I am planning on getting him freed," she said, she saw something in both men's eyes, and she noticed something she hadn't before— Peter looked scared, and Remus looked, she wasn't sure. Was it sad or hopeful? Or perhaps a little of both?

"I see, and how did you intend to do that?" Peter asked her.

"I have proof he was framed, all I need to do is find out who did it," she continued. The more she spoke; the more the man she was facing got paler, and Remus was almost smiling until Peter uttered his next words: "I suggest you mind your own business Miss Granger, we would hate for you to meet the same end as your parents." The smile on Remus's face disappeared, if he told her the truth she would free him, and if she did… Peter would kill her.

Hermione met his gaze head-on, not intimidated by this rat like man. "That almost sounds like a threat, Mr Pettigrew," she replied.

"See it as a warning, perhaps," he said, and then making sure to meet Remus's eye, he left the room.

"You don't need to tell me," she said as the door swung shut behind Peter. Peter had gotten cocky, and she already knew all she needed to know, he was an upstanding law student, as well as Remus's friend, he seemed like the person to cover for someone like that.

"Just tell me one thing, why do you call yourself a monster?" Hermione asked.

"Not here, I will write to you, okay?" Remus said, nodding in the direction of the camera.

Hermione prided herself on being observant, but she hadn't even noticed the camera observing them every second they spent in this room together, so intent had she been on discovering the mystery.

"You mean? Everything in this room gets recorded?" Hermione asked.

"Of course, I am surprised Peter forgot," he replied, scratching his head.

"You are a genius," Hermione said. "I could kiss you right now." They both blushed as she realized what she had just said.

"Um, I need to go," she said suddenly, and Remus was worried it was about what she had just said.

"It's not because of what I just said," she continued, reading his facial expression.

"How do you know that's what I was thinking?" Remus asked her curiously.

"You're like an open book, and I enjoy reading," she said cryptically. Then she stood up, kissed him on the cheek and left Remus sitting there stunned. He wasn't sure how it happened but he knew Hermione had just been flirting with him.

* * *

"Lieutenant Shacklebolt," Hermione said, walking into his office. The man looked up at the girl, surprised to see her there.

"Miss?" he replied, clearly not remembering her.

"Miss Granger, sir. My parents were murdered in their cottage about two months ago, and Remus Lupin has been arrested for his murder," she said.

"I am curious as to the reasoning for the visit then, Miss Granger, if the culprit has been caught," Shacklebolt replied from behind his desk.

"He was framed sir, I have proof," Hermione said, and set out to explain all about the evidence at the crime scene, imploring him to have a look at the camera footage of the visitation room, where he heard Peter's threat.

After hearing everything, and examining the evidence again, even the lieutenant had to admit that it was clear that Remus was innocent; there wasn't enough to convict Peter just yet, considering the fact that he would surely claim his innocence.

It was a few months before they finally arrested Peter and just to keep him unaware of what was happening, Remus had stayed in jail at the time. Hermione sent him constant letters of reassurance, throughout her exams and all, she never failed to send a letter at least once a week, and when she couldn't arrive for their Friday visit, she sent another letter reminding him about her exam that day, although she had sent him her entire exam schedule.

Remus was in his cell, looking at the latest letter Hermione had sent, reminding him that soon he would be free again, and that she was writing biology that day, and all about the strange things her friends Harry and Ron kept getting up to in school. She had told him all about their "nemesis" in Slytherin house, and it all reminded Remus so much of the Marauders own time at Hogwarts, with their own Slytherin to taunt. Hermione had told him that Severus Snape was a professor now, and he had told her he was surprised Snape had returned after the amount they all tortured him at school. She laughed and said if anyone deserved to be tortured at school, it would be Snape. He was horrible to the students; mean; and also showed blatant favouritism towards Slytherin House.

"Remus Lupin, you are free to go," the officer said, and he had to pinch himself to believe it wasn't a dream. He saw a smiling Hermione Granger standing next to the police officer with the key. Then he heard the voice of one of his closest friends, Peter was cursing and kicking and screaming. It was clear he wasn't planning on "going quietly". When Hermione held out her hand, and he took it, everything felt right, and he knew that no matter what, she would stay by him. It still scared him to confess his curse to her, but somehow he knew it would be okay.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"You have no idea," Remus responded.


End file.
